Does a structured medical ethics education programme improve professional identity among medical interns?

ISRCTN	ISRCTN13478984
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN13478984
Sponsor	Second Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University
Funders	Zunyi Medical University Teaching Reform Project, Guizhou Provincial Health Commission Research Fund

Submission date: 23/03/2026
Registration date: 24/03/2026
Last edited: 23/03/2026

Recruitment status: No longer recruiting
Overall study status: Completed
Condition category: Other

Prospectively registered

Protocol

Statistical analysis plan

Results

Individual participant data

Record updated in last year

Plain English summary of protocol

Background and study aims
This study looked at whether a structured medical ethics education programme could help improve the professional identity of medical interns. Professional identity includes how interns see themselves as future doctors, how they understand their values, and how they behave in clinical settings. The study also aimed to understand how and why any changes in professional identity take place.

Who can participate?
Medical interns aged 22 to 30 years who were completing their clinical training at a teaching hospital in China could take part. They needed to give informed consent and be able to complete study questionnaires.

What does the study involve?
Participants were randomly placed into one of two groups. One group took part in a two‑week ethics education programme that included case discussions, reflection sessions, and group activities. The other group continued with their usual clinical training. Everyone completed questionnaires before and after the programme to measure changes in their professional identity.

What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
Participants might gain a better understanding of ethical issues in medicine, feel more confident about their professional values, and strengthen their professional identity. There were no known significant risks from taking part in the study.

Where is the study run from?
The study was run at a teaching hospital affiliated with a medical university in China.

When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
The study has already been completed. The ethics education programme lasted two weeks, followed by time for data collection and analysis.

Who is funding the study?
The study was funded by a teaching reform project at Zunyi Medical University and a research fund from the Guizhou Provincial Health Commission (China).

Who is the main contact?
Ms Liangsha Zhang at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University in China, 260907490@qq.com

Contact information

Ms Liangsha Zhang
Public, Scientific, Principal investigator

Second Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University
Zunyi
563003
China

ORCID ID	0009-0007-6852-1530
Phone	+86 19017562315
Email	260907490@qq.com

Dr Chatchai Ekpanyaskul
Scientific

Global Education Development and Research Program
Division of Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
Graduate School, Srinakharinwirot University
Bangkok
10110
Thailand

ORCID ID	0000-0002-2906-9832
Phone	+66 630681121
Email	chatchaie@g.swu.ac.th

Study information

Primary study design	Interventional
Allocation	Randomized controlled trial
Masking	Open (masking not used)
Control	Active
Assignment	Parallel
Purpose	Health services research
Scientific title	Theory-based structured Medical Ethics education intervention and its effects on Professional Identity formation among medical interns
Study acronym	MEPI
Study objectives	1. To evaluate the effect of a structured medical ethics education intervention on professional identity formation among medical interns 2. To explore the underlying mechanisms through which the intervention influences professional identity development
Ethics approval(s)	Approved 27/08/2025, Medical Ethics Review Committee of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University (Second Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, 563003, China; +86 85127596557; zyefyjwk@163.com), ref: KYLL-2025-127
Health condition(s) or problem(s) studied	Professional identity formation among medical interns
Intervention	Participants were randomly assigned to an intervention group or a control group using block randomization. The intervention group received a structured medical ethics education programme over a period of two weeks (10 teaching hours in total). The programme included case-based discussions, guided reflection sessions, and facilitated group discussions integrated into clinical internship settings. The intervention aimed to support professional identity development by promoting ethical reasoning, reflective learning, and value internalization. The control group followed the routine clinical internship curriculum without additional structured ethics education. All participants completed a professional identity questionnaire before and after the intervention.
Intervention type	Behavioural
Primary outcome measure(s)	Overall professional identity score measured using a validated 20-item professional identity scale at baseline (pre-intervention) and immediately after the two-week intervention
Key secondary outcome measure(s)	Professional cognition score measured using the corresponding subscale of the validated 20-item professional identity scale at baseline (pre-intervention) and immediately after the two-week intervention Emotional identity score measured using the corresponding subscale of the validated 20-item professional identity scale at baseline (pre-intervention) and immediately after the two-week intervention Behavioural tendency score measured using the corresponding subscale of the validated 20-item professional identity scale at baseline (pre-intervention) and immediately after the two-week intervention Sense of group belonging score measured using the corresponding subscale of the validated 20-item professional identity scale at baseline (pre-intervention) and immediately after the two-week intervention Ethical responsibility identity score measured using the corresponding subscale of the validated 20-item professional identity scale at baseline (pre-intervention) and immediately after the two-week intervention Career intention measured using a self-reported questionnaire assessing intention to pursue a medical career at baseline (pre-intervention) and immediately after the two-week intervention
Completion date	08/02/2026

Eligibility

Participant type(s)
Age group	Adult
Lower age limit	22 Years
Upper age limit	30 Years
Sex	All
Target sample size at registration	216
Total final enrolment	216
Key inclusion criteria	1. Undergraduate students majoring in clinical medicine undertaking clinical internships at the study hospital 2. Willing to participate in the study and providing written informed consent 3. Able to complete the study questionnaires independently, including both pre- and post-intervention assessments 4. Not previously exposed to a similar structured medical ethics education programme
Key exclusion criteria	1. Refusal to participate or withdrawal of informed consent 2. Inability to complete the study questionnaires independently 3. Incomplete questionnaires or data with significant inconsistencies 4. Prior participation in a similar structured medical ethics education programme
Date of first enrolment	01/09/2025
Date of final enrolment	02/11/2025

Locations

Countries of recruitment

China

Study participating centres

Results and Publications

Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to share	No
IPD sharing plan

Editorial Notes

23/03/2026: Trial's existence confirmed by Medical Ethics Review Committee of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University.